Rising housing costs at CFB Cold Lake prompt one soldier to busk

Looks like someone is going to be doing the hat less dance soon...

This is what happens when someone decides to make it "fair" for the local landlords! Pay doesn't change but housing is based on local economy. And for the most part Canada doesn't care unless a local restaurant is offering free desert with dinner and military id But then that isn't fair either...

I live in what was the former Griesbach base in a townhouse that was for soldiers with families and am very happy here.. the buildings are old yes but well built and westcorp takes care of them. Actually the rental office is my buddies old unit here and rent is reasonable .. 3 bedroom for under 1100.00 But I have also worked out on the base when I was still driving and once the oil patch gets in everyone starts to gouge, Ft Mac is a good example of that. 2 bdrm apt there is about 2200.00 month so I'm told.

Maybe the post differential allowance needs to change. As far as pay goes I thought I recall the CF was among the best compensated military in the world when it came to wages back when I was involved at least.

More personally as it relates to this guy, making a public statement they way he did and using his kit to do it, not quite sure I like that. The US has soldiers on food stamps and they are not (so far as I hear) pulling stunts like this.

A news report states he may be charged cause of this....wrong way to go about things, but there is a family center on each base that helps out when things are tough.. they even have a food bank at Edmonton Garrison

I have the utmost respect and admiration for anyone who chooses to serve in the military, but like any other career, if you aren't happy with it or you got yourself so deep in debt that you can't live on fifty-three grand....

While he might be in financial distress, there is no need for him to pull a stunt like this. While CL (Cold Lake) is an expensive area, it is no worse than other places like Ottawa or Wainwright which have comparible PMQ costs and no PLD. If he has gotten himself in financial hot water he can turn to SISIP for advice on how to get himself out of debt, but it's easier to go out and whine on a street corner than decide quit smoking or take less trips into Edmonton.

Wainwright's getting pretty rough. Guys living here on their own or in stable relationships aren't so bad. Most seem to be getting a second job to get by now, but they are getting by.